Feature Match - Round 4:

Josh Bennett

Both of these players are pretty big wheels down at the cracker factory. Alex Shvartsman, game store owner and Pro Tour Niceguy, has been putting up the big finishes on the Tour and the Grand Prix Circuit since practically forever. His opponent, the always-stoic Jens Thoren, was recently immortalized on the card Solemn Simulacrum (or The Thorenator), his prize for winning last year's Magic Invitational. Thoren is with the Scandanavian red-blue Welder deck, and Shvartsman is naturally with YMG Oath.

He fetched a pair, and then a Pentavus, with Shvartsman remaining impassive behind four mana and a four cards in hand. He had two Counterspells, a Mana Leak, and a Krosan Reclamation. Thoren played the Pentavus, which went uncontested, then lost both his Welders to Shvartsman's countermagic. Shvartsman untapped, Oathed up a Cognivore (a mere 7/7), and then imprinted Counterspell on Isochron Scepter. The usually unflappable Thoren was forced to adjust his glasses and ruffle his hair.

Tangle Wire met little resistance from Shvartsman, who sat back on his Scepter. Thoren fetched another pair of Welders and made a Pentavite. The Scepter took one down, but the other resolved. Pentavus showed just how he earned his keep the following turn, when he showed that he could serve up Cognivore chumps all day long. Shvartsman stopped the Welder from getting crazy with a Krosan Reclamation, but his life total was dwindling. Thoren also had Lightning Greaves to complicate things. Shvartsman held back. Thoren tutored up Bosh, Iron Golem.

Thoren showed him another City of Traitors and Lightning Greaves. He moved to put it on his Metalworker, but Shvartsman had a response, Naturalizing the Greaves. This was fine with Thoren, who had no artifacts in hand. He merely exchanged the Greaves for the Tangle Wire. Shvartsman was locked down, and used his Brainstorm Scepter while he could. Thoren took the opportunity to Thirst away Bosh.

Shvartsman could do little. Thoren brought Bosh back at end of turn, and then Tinkered up a Pentavus. Another pair of Greaves let them get in for eleven. Shvartsman Oathed up a Cognivore and tried to look imposing. Thoren was not bluffed.